PSA International's Mersin terminal in Turkey welcomed its inaugural mega-boxship, MSC Ditte, demonstrating their capability for large vessels. PSA's partnerships with GCMD on decarbonisation projects and acquisitions in Vietnam demonstrate its focus on sustainable maritime operations and regional growth.
Ukraine’s overland shipping route to the Black Sea has hit yet another significant milestone since.162 million tonnes total shipped across 55 countries since August (including 98 million tonnes of grain exported to 55 nations - reported on December 16).at the same time insurance costs for maritime shipping skyrocketed as the growing risk landscape began to shift, as risk premiums for shipping Russian oil out of the region extended until July 2025.
Kongsberg Maritime has recently announced contracts for propulsion systems for Med Marine tugs, launch and recovery systems for Sea1 Offshore vessels, and propellers for Canadian Navy destroyers, all as part of its planned listing as a separate company in April 2026.
In the last several weeks, U.S. and European regulators moved to tighten enforcement of maritime sanctions on Russian oil exports, blacklisting additional companies, vessels and individuals while regional governments scrubbed each other’s lists. Overall market data showed Russian crude exports reacting negatively to the latest of these measures; an incident involving one of those tankers in the Black Sea underscored how their operational and security risks were rising.
Tanker shipping have recently been operating under intense security pressure and regulatory scrutiny. Bulgaria successfully managed the drift of damaged crude carrier Kairos after drone strike destruction in November; Bangladesh provided repatriation of injured crew. Russia-linked tankers were damaged off Dakar, while Iran released Talara, causing oil trades additional geopolitical risk.
Ukrainian forces targeted Russian shadow fleet tankers in the Black Sea on December 1-3, 2025, damaging vessels and disrupting Russian oil exports. The strikes, involving Kairos and Virat tankers respectively, threaten to affect maritime warfare tactics affecting global energy markets and sanctions enforcement.
Ukrainian naval drones targeted two sanctioned Russian tankers of the shadow fleet, MT Kairos and MT Virat, as Kyiv aggressively expanded its campaign against Russia's sanctions-evasion shipping network. The two vessels were attacked on November 28-29th 2025.
Kairos and Virat, both sanctioned Russian shadow fleet tankers were rocked by explosions near Turkey’s coast on November 28-29th 2025, with Ukrainian forces claiming they were behind the attacks using naval drones; all crew were subsequently evacuated after the incidents and act is a demonstration of increased maritime warfare of Russia’s oil targets.
During these five days, a whole host of naval developments took place that suggested an accelerating trend toward modernization of many of the world’s sea forces; Turkey trials the LEVENT missile system for naval air defence functions, South Korea unveils the latest FFX Batch III frigate, to be ROKS Jeonnam, and Brazil commissioned its third Riachuelo-class submarine, Admiral Karam, as tangible proof of changing priorities and broadened aspirations.
Two Gambian-flagged oil tankers, Kairos and Virat, were attacked by Ukrainian naval drones in the Black Sea between November 28 and 29, 2025. Both vessels, presenting as an EU and UK sanctioned shadow fleet for transporting Russian oil, were struck by naval drones in what can be described as the second round of attacks against Russian vessels in the Black Sea by Ukraine's SBU security service.
Between 25 November and 1 December 2025 the maritime domain witnessed 18 critical incidents from drug interdictions, to migrants and boat people being rescued, piracy attack vessels, explosion against tankers off Senegal and in Black Sea, and major drug seizures and boat people crises in Mediterranean and Turkish waters. Notably, explosions against tankers off Senegal and in the Black Sea, alongside crises affecting those coming through Euro waters due to crisis migration.